Tide-motor



H. WILLIAMS.

TIDE MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28 I920.

Patented 001]- 11, 1921 3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

. I g; n I-LWiJ 1151132? H. WILLIAMS.

TIDE MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB, 28. 1920.

1,393,472. Patented 001;. 11, 1921.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2. SQ

. I| I Q 4 Q anvew [U Hwilliarns.

H. WILLIAMS.

TIDE MOTOR.

,APPLICATION FILED HEB. 28, 1920. 1,393,472. Patented Oct. 11,1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3. 52.3 /nsu[3-/l 'on 60 may WILLIAMS, 0! RETURN, VIRGINIA.

rum-moron Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 11 1921.

Application flledIebifnary 28, 1920. Serial No. 882,045.

To allwhomitmay concern: Be it known that I HARRY WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United tates, residin at Return, in the county of Caroline and tate'of Vir inia, have invented certain new and useihl In: rovements in Tide-Motors, of which the ollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to motors, and the primaryobject of the invention is'to provide an improved motor whereby the power from the tide can be utilizedffor commercial purposes.

' Another object of the'invention is-to provide an improved means for operating an electric enerator by the tide, so that coastand near y cities may be provided with elec tric power without necessitating the erection and maintenance of costly plants now in vo ue.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved tide motor having means for continuously rotating a shaft in one direction, both on the incoming or flood tide and on the outgoing'or ebb. tide.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved tide motor including a float or barge arranged to slidably receive oppositely facing rack bars anchored to the floor of the ocean, the barge carrying an operating shaft havin operatively connected thereto by a train 0 speed advancing gears, a power transmitting cog arranged to engage the rack bars, certain of the cogs being adapted to operate the shaft onthe rising of the barge by the incoming tide and others being arranged to operate the shaft on the lowering of the barge at the ebb tide whereby the shaft will be rotated in a single direc- 'tion.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means for storin the surplus electrical energy in a storage hattery or the like during the rising and falling of the tide and for automatically placing the, storage battery in circuit with the motor, when the tide is at rest, when the same has reached the extreme height during the flood tide and at the ebb tide, so that the shaitwill, be

continuously rotated}v during said -rest,

periods.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved tide motor -for oper ating an electric generator of the fabo v character, which is durable and efiicient i-n use, one that is simple and easyto manufacoperated by the tide,-

ture, and one which can be market at a reasonable cost. Other objects of the invention will appear n the following detailed des'criptoin taken in connection part of this specification, 1n

igure lis a tide motor.

Fig. 2 is a central of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlar ed vertical section taken on the line 3--,-3 of%ig. 1. a F1 4 is a diagrammatic .view'of the wiring for the generator and electric motor, and

F g. 51s an enlarged fragmentary detail section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1 and llustrating a power transmitting cog engagmg one of the rack bars disposed opposite to the rack bars which are engaged by the cogs on the o posite side of the float shown in F1g. 2 o the drawings. Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein s1milar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several news, the letter A indicates the improved placed upon the plan view of the improved view taken on the line with the drawings, forming a' in which drawtide motor which includes the barge or float size so as to obtain the amount of ower de sired. The barge or float B is o substantially rectangular configuration and includes the upper wall or deck. 10, the bottom 11, and the side and end walls 12.- The top wall or deck 10 may support a suitable housing for the mechanism of the motor if so do sired, and a suitable home or ofiice may be erected on the float for the workman or attendant. L

The float B at its four corners is provided with two pairs of spaced openings or slots Band 14, through which slidably protrudes the piers C which will be hereinafter more fully described. The walls of the pairs of slots 13 and 14 are provided withinwardly extending recesses 15v in which are rotatably rnounted suitable rollers 16 which are adapted'toengage the outer faces of the gears C o; as to permit the free movement of the cat or barge B in relation to the piers.

The piers C includes two pairs of spaced standards 17 and 18 located at the opposite standards 17 and 18 are anchored in concrete or similar bases 19, which are embedded in the floor of the ocean. The pairs of standards 17 are located adjacent to the outer ends of the barge, while the standsitioned upstanding bearing brackets 20 which rotatably support the guide shafts 21 and 22, which are arranged 1n spaced rela-- tion to one another. Theouter ends of the guide shafts 21 and 22 carry master pinions 23 and 24, and the pinions 23 which are arranged between the standards 17 are adapted to engage rack bars 25, formed on the inner face of the innermost standard of the pair of standards 17. 'The master pin ions 25 engage rack bars 26 formed on the inner face of the outermost standards of the airs of standards 18 for a purpose which will hereinafter more fully appear. The rack bars 25 and 26 terminate short of the upper and lower ends of the standards so that the master pinions 23 and 24 Wlll be carried out of engagement with the rack bars- 25 and 26 when the barge has been lifted to the extreme height of the flood or ebb tide for a purpose which will be hereinafter more fully described. The shafts 21 and 22 are operatively connected to the main drive shaft 27, which is arranged adjacent to the longitudinal center of the barge by speed advancing gears 28, which are arranged on the opposite sides of the barge. The shaft 27 drives an electric generator 29 from which power is adapted to be taken for operating various devices. An electric motor 30 is also operatively connected to the shaft 27 for drivin the shaft when the barge has risen to the ighest oint or lowest point at the flood and ebb tide, when the master pinions 23 and 24 have risen out of engagement with the rack bars'25 and 26. The shafts 21 and 22 have keyed or otherwise secured thereto, the relatively large gear wheels 31, which mesh with relatively small pinions 32, keyed to the shafts 33 which are arranged 1n H arallel relation to the shafts 21 and 22. he shafts 33 have keyed-or otherwise secured thereto the relatively large gear wheels 34 which in turn mesh with the relatively small gear wheels 35 keyed to the parallel arranged shafts 36. The shafts 36 in turn carry relatively large gear wheels 37 which mesh with. the relatively small wheels 38 keyed to the I shafts '39. The shafts 39 carries relatively large gear wheels 40 which mesh with the opposite sides of the relatively small pinions 41 keyed to the shaft 27. -The gear wheels 31, 32, 34, 35, 37 and 38 and the shafts 21, 33, 36, and

39 form the speed advancin mechanism and it is to .be understood t at ,as many shafts with the relatively large and small gear wheels ma be provided as is found necessary or app icable. The master pinions 23 and 24 have arranged adjacent thereto the ratchet wheels 42 which are keyed to the shafts 2 l, and 22. The master pinions 23 and 24 carry 0 positely disposed dogs 43 which are pivotal y connected to the master pinions 23 and 24 by suitable pins 44, and

are normally. urged into engagement with the ratchet wheel by a spring 45. By arrangin the dogs 43 in opposite relation to each ot er, item be seen that when the float is being raised b the flood tide, motion will be transmitte to the master inion 23 in a clockwise direction, which wi l in turn rotate the driye shaft 27 in a clockwise direction, When the bar e is being lowered, however, by the ebb tide, if the gears 23 were keyed to the shafts 21 and 22 the same could be driven in a counter clockwise direction and thus not rotate the drive shaft 27 in one direction at all times. When the barge is being lowered on the ebb tide, the master pinions 24 engaging the rack bars 26 and wil be rotated in a counter clockwise direction which will in turn transmit their motion to the shafts 21 through the medium of the ratchet wheel 42 which in turn will rotate the drive shaft .27 in a clockwise direction. Thus it will be seen that the drive shaft 27 is turned in one continuous direction on the rise and fall of the tide. The relatively heavy balance or fly wheels 46 are keyed to the drive shaft 27 so that the inertia thereof will tend to rotate the drive shaft 27 at an even speedand continue the rotation thereof when the master pinions 23 and 24 ride out of engagement with the rack bars 25 and 26.

The upper terminals of the pairs of posts.

17 and 18 are connected together by suitable braces. 47, which prevents relative lateral movement of the posts or standards in relation to one another. The generator 29 has line wires 48 and 49 connected thereto which extend to the shore so that the current generated may be fused for any purpose such as heating or lighting nearby cities. The wires 48 and 49 have also electrically connected thereto condiigctor wires 50 and 51 which lead to the op osiye terminals of a storage battery 52 w icli? is arranged in the bottom of the barge or float B. The wire 51 has a current reducer 53 arranged therein so as to reduce the voltage of the current from the generator to the storage battery, and this wire has also interposed therein an automatic cut out'54, so that when the battery pressure becomes greater than that induced y the generator, the battery will be automatically out off from. the generator. The motor 30 has line wires 55 and 56 connected site terminal ofthe storage battery has "se cured theretoa wire 57 whichleads to a plug 58 of conducting material embedded in the standard in the piers C. The conductor-plug;

58 is embedded in a suitable insulation 59'.-

The conductor plug 58 is arranged directly below the rack bars25 and 26 so that when shaft 27.

the float or barge B sinks below the rack bars,,and thus not actuate the shaft 27, the

circuit to themotor will be closed and thus permit the driving of the shaft, Arranged in spaced relation to the conductorjslng 58 is a conductor plug 60 which is embedded in a suitable insulating sleeve 61, carried by the piers C, This plug 60 is arranged above-the rack bars 25 and 26, so that when the bar 'e have been raised to its highest point by 't e flood tide and the master pinion has been carried out of engagement with the rack bars the circuit to the motor 30 will be closed so as to continue the rotation of the shaft 27. Theplugs 60 and 58 are connected by a suitable wire 62 which is embedded in the piers C. The circuit is closed to the motor by means of a contact 63 which is connected to the wire 66. The contact 63 is secured to" the upstahding bracket 64 carried by the upper edge of the float. Thus itwill be seen shaft 27 for voperating the generator until the tide starts to again rise or fall.

The shafts 33, 36 and 37 are mounted in suitable bearings 56 secured to the upper surface of the plate. The arrangement of the piers in relation to the barge or float steadies the same and transmits a steady uninterrupted flow of power to the drive From the foregoing description it can be seen that an improved tide motor is pro-. vided, which is of exceptionally-simple and durable construction and which will effectively accomplish the purpose intended.

departing from the spirit or scope of the invention; but, c v

I claim: 1. A'tide motor comprising a plurality of spaced pairs of standards, .a barge slidably mounted on the standards, oppositely disposed rack bars formed on the inner faces of the standards, an operatingshaft rotatably carried by the barge, rotatable shafts carried by the barge and arranged intermediate the rack bars, pinions meshing with the rack bars and carried by the second mentioned shaft, speed advancing mech anism operatively connecting the second battery with the motor. 1

a generator, means operatively connecting the, shaft With-the generator, and a storage batterybonnected with thegenerator, an

electric motor operatively connected to "the shaft, and means'electrically connecting the 2. A tide.-motor com disposed rack bars formed on" the stand- ;ards', shafts rotatably carried by the barge gage "the rack bars,- an operating shaft,

risinga pluralit of pairs of s aced stan ards, a barge s'lid "ably mounts on the standards, oppositely speed advancin I mechanism operatively' connectingthe rstmentioned shafts with the operating shaft,*an, electric generator operatively connected to the operating shaft, a storage battery connected to-the' generator, means for automatically cutting out-the storage battery from the generator when the generator 1s below. normal, an

electric motor operatively connected to the shaft, an' electric circuit connecting the storage battery with the motor, and means for closing the circuit throu h the electric motor when the float reaches 1ts highest and lowest point.

A tide motor comprising a. plurality of spaced pairs of supporting standards, a

barge slidably mounted onthe standards,

, oppositely disposed rack bars formed, on the standards, shafts rotatably carriedby the barge and arranged intermediate the. rack bars, pinions carried by the shafts and arranged to engage the rack bars, ratchet wheels keyed to the shafts, dogs carried by the pinions and arranged to engage the ratchet wheels, an operating shaft, speed advancing mechanism. operatively connecting the first mentioned shafts with the operating shaft, the rack bars ending short of the upper and lower terminals of the supporting standards, spaced contacts arrangeclabove and.bcl0w the rack bars, a generator, means operatively connecting the operating shaft with the generator, a storage battery electrically connected with the generator and an electric motor connected Changes in deta ls may be made without with the operatingshaft, an electric circuit connecting the motor with the storage bat- .tery, spaced contact points arranged'above slidably mounted'on the standards, a rotatable shaft carried by the barge and disposed intermediate the rack bars, an operating shaft, speedadvancing mechanism op eratlvely connecting the first mentioned shaft with the operating shaft, pinions carried by the first mentioned, shaft arranged to engage the rack bars, ratchet wheels keyed to the first mentioned shaft, pivoted dogs carried by the pinions and arranged to engage the ratchet wheels, a generator, means operatively connecting the generator with the operating shaft, a storage battery electrically connected with the generator, an electric motor operatively connected with the operating shaft, a pair of spaced contacts embedded in one of the standards, an

electric wire connecting the contact points,-

means connecting the contact points to one terminal of the battery, means operatively connecting the opposite terminal of the battery to one terminal of the motor, a contact carried by the barge, and arranged to engage the contacts carried by the standard, an electric Wire connected to the opposite terminal of the motor and to the last mentioned contact.

HARRY WILLIAMS. 

